


Blazing Winter

by TaterThotz



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Compound, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Past Violence, Protective Bucky Barnes, Self-Esteem Issues, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Smut, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:55:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaterThotz/pseuds/TaterThotz
Summary: When Tony Stark gets a call from Fury, needing a favor for an old friend about a girl who could possibly be a national security threat if Hydra gets their hands on her, he sends no other than Bucky Barnes, who is trained in both stealth and if necessary, murder.Bucky felt a wave of dread wash over him, Hydra had been a never-ending nightmare for him. Bucky looked down at the picture of the girl again, they usually didn’t take women. Bucky knew that from experience, wondering what new sick forms of torture they had thought up now. Tony clicked his remote allowing a new series of images flooding the screen, men's bodies scattered around the image, bodies twisted in unnatural angles.“Three days ago, 27 men were found dead throughout this Hydra hideout, she was the last one to any of them the last one to walk out of the place alive,” Bucky stares at the grainy security footage photo of the girl hood pulled tightly over her head, wide eyes staring into the camera.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. A Simple Favor

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this was just something I came up with on the fly, sort of as a way to blow of some steam from work. I have a handful more ideas written up just needs to be edited. If people like it I'll be more than happy to continue posting the rest of this story, I really enjoyed writing it up and developing relationships with this character. When I was writing her I kind of pictured her as Sophie Turner when she played Sansa Stark, but feel free to imagine her however you like :) 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy :))

Tony felt his phone vibrating on his leg digging his hand through his pocket as he tears his eyes away from the newest project he had been working on.

“Hello?” his glances back up at the screen watching as the computer generates another series of formulas he needs.

“Stark, I need a favor,” Fury’s voice coming in from the other end of the phone, “it’s a matter of urgency but it’s gotta’ be kept quiet. I sent you over the file, did you get it?” Tony quickly clicks out of his software pulling up the email Fury sent over waiting for it to download.

“Yea I got it, opening it up now but what is this about?” Tony asked as he pulled up the fil, scanning through it lazily.

“A friend of mine asked that we find this girl, she’s a matter of national security, if she falls into the wrong hands it could be catastrophic,”

“If this is such a huge deal, why doesn’t your friend go and get her?”

“Stark pick up the girl and bring her back to the compound,” Fury’s no-nonsense tone made Tony want to push even more.

“Come on Fury, this isn’t a hotel. I don’t have room for another kid here,” Tony complained eyes on the girl’s picture on the screen.

“Stark, just send someone to get the girl,” he could tell from the tone of Fury’s voice that the discussion was over, sighing as he pulled up the location on the team for the day.

“Fine, I’ll get someone out tonight,” Tony conceded.

“Barnes, I need you in the conference room,” Tony’s voices Bucky’s room over the intercom, Bucky groans covering his face with his hands. _Day off my ass_ , his thoughts interrupted by Tony’s voice again, “now!” He pulled himself out of his bed pulling on a sweatshirt, before connecting back on the intercom.

“Copy,” he says into the speaker before stomping down the stairs, pulling the glass door open to Tony standing in front of the screen. He tosses a file on the table in front of it, a photo of a girl paperclipped to the front.

“Barnes, you know I don’t usually like to send people on solo missions, but this girl is our top priority, she needs to be brought in immediately,” Bucky flipped through the photos of the girl, she looked terrified and worn down.

“Tony this doesn’t look like anything more than a scared kid,”

“Barnes we have to get her, she was recently being held by a well-known offshore Hydra group,” Bucky felt a wave of dread wash over him, Hydra had been a never-ending nightmare for him. Bucky looked down at the picture of the girl again, they usually didn’t take women. Bucky knew that from experience, wondering what new sick forms of torture they had thought up now. Tony clicked his remote allowing a new series of images flooding the screen, men's bodies scattered around the image, bodies twisted in unnatural angles.

“Three days ago, 27 men were found dead throughout this Hydra hideout, she was the last one to any of them the last one to walk out of the place alive,” Bucky stares at the grainy security footage photo of the girl hood pulled tightly over her head, wide eyes staring into the camera.

“Wait how?” Bucky stopped mid-sentence.

“We don’t know how, which is exactly why this is urgent. You need to bring her in and fast, we don’t want Hydra getting their hands on her again,” Bucky nods, “bright side is that Fury got a hit on her at some low-end hotel out in Maine,”

Bucky changed quickly grabbing his go bag and rushing out towards the plane, not wanting to waste any time on finding her. Bucky didn’t want to think about what Hydra was using her for and why it was so urgent they find her. He knew what they were capable of and he found himself begging that she wasn’t put through a quarter of what he had gone through before it was too late.

Bucky took the time to read her file while on the way to Maine. Catarina Summers, 22, parents dead for the past seven years, a car accident. Bucky skimmed through the pictures, smiling to himself when she got to one where she couldn’t have been older than 7, red hair tied in pigtails, a gap where her two front teeth should’ve been proudly on display, smiling widely, each arm around both her parent’s neck. Bucky tore through the pictures, seeing her life unfold in front of him, her green eyes gleaming, her life full of happiness and love. After the funeral she vanished, no one knew where she went or why she disappeared. He found himself wondering what could have happened within the year her parents died that Hydra found her.

“Where are you?” Bucky whispered to himself, his fingers lightly tracing over the young girl’s face.

When Bucky found out where she had been holed up, he walked cautiously to the room she was supposed to be in he turned the knob surprised to find it unlocked. He walked in slowly, eyes scanning the room when she jumped out from behind him quickly striking him. Her fist connected with his ribs before she yanked a knife from her waist band swinging it towards him, him thankfully reacting quickly, and grabbing her arm her eyes widened.

“Stay away from me,” she hissed trying to yank her arm from his grip.

“I don’t want to hurt you!” he watched as her eyes scanned his face, softening for second, Bucky dropping his guard for a split second, which was all she needed to grab his wrist with her free hand twisting her body for him to fall over her back.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, watching her eyes as she made her next plan of action. She tried to make a run for the door, but he scrambled to block the door with his body, so she screeched to a stop scrambling towards the window. She was yanking desperately, but it was useless it wasn’t budging. She turned to face him, eyes wide filled with a fear that he could only describe as an animal in headlight. One that’s got its limb caught in a trap and he was the monster that did it.

“Please!” her voice broke, tears filling her eyes, “please I can’t go back there,” she backed herself even further into the corner trying to contain the panic that was clawing its way up her throat. Bucky knew that terror, _no,_ he could feel that terror bubbling in his gut. It was the fear of someone who had gone face to face with a monster and not the ones you thought were under your bed when you were a kid. No, these were real monsters, and they find ways to destroy every piece of who you are, who you used be by using methods you could never imagine. Images of that lab, that chair and all the memory wiping flashed through his mind, shuddering at the thought of that happening to the girl in front of him.

“Listen Doll, I promise you, I am not bringing you back to them. They will never hurt you again,” he kept himself calm trying to convey any and all sincerity he could. Her eyes darted around the room before dropping to the floor. Sucking in a breath he took a few cautious steps towards her reaching his hand out to her. She squeezed her eyes shut, throwing her hand out in front of her.

“Please! Don’t touch me,” the hysteria in her voice rang through his ears, a force clutching down on his wrist. He watched her carefully, not able to pull his arm from the crushing grip around his wrist.

“Okay, okay, I won’t touch you, I swear,” he lifts his other hand as a surrender. She nodded, sliding down the wall trying to make herself as small as she possibly could. His hand released dropping to his side. She had never wished she could disappear as much as she did right now.

“I’m not here to hurt you, please just listen to me,” he tries to level with her crouching down on the ground beside her, lowering his gaze to meet her eyes. She stared into his steel blue eyes the small smile on his face, no longer feeling terrified.

“Trust me okay?” she took a deep breath, every piston in her brain firing not to trust anyone anymore, but something was telling her this was okay.

“Okay,” her voice no louder than a whisper, “who are you?”

“James Buchanan Barnes, but my friends call me Bucky,” he stood up slowly, holding his hand out tentatively, an offer to help her up. She stared at him cautiously before tentatively taking hold of his hand. He pulled her up easily her stumbling into his brick wall of a chest.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, her face turning a light shade of red. He chuckled lightly

“No issues Doll, do you want to tell me your name?” he kept his tone light, wanting her to know she was in complete control of all aspects of the situation.

“Catarina Jeanie Summers, but my friends call me Cat,” a small smile playing on her lips, Bucky finds himself thinking that he’d like to see that smile again.

“Okay Cat, well I was sent here by my boss, I work for a special force called the Avengers. We have been fighting against a group named Hydra for years,” Bucky notices as she flinches at the mention of them.

“You saw what I did then,” she whispered, he can see the guilt washing over her.

“Yea, I’m sure you had a good reason,”

“I didn’t mean too,” her voice was smaller than he thought possible.

“I understand. We know what they are capable of, we want to bring you in, to keep you safe,” her eyes widen.

“They’re never gonna stop are they?”

“You’ll be safe with us, with me,” he promised her. She nods, her lips pursed together.

“Okay Bucky,” she said slowly, testing his name out on her tongue, “let’s get out here,” she reaches to grab a bag, gathering a few things shoving them in.

“Got everything?”

“Yea, I didn’t really have a lot of time to grab everything,” her voice trailed off.

“It’s fine, let’s just get going,” she follows him out towards the garage, the two of them walking side by side.

“Want me to carry that?” he asks holding his flesh arm out, but she shakes her head.

“No, I got it, thanks,” she adjusted the strap on her shoulder offering him a small smile. He glanced over at her, his blue eyes meeting hers for a moment his lip pulling up into a small smirk. Cat felt as a small boulder sized weight had been lifted from her shoulders, knowing that this man wasn’t the same as the ones who held her in the dingy cell. She couldn’t really get a read on him, but she knew he was _safe._ And safe was good, safe is what she needed. The two of them walked quietly through the parking garage, his arm brushing lightly against hers. _Safe,_ she repeated in her head. When the got to the bottom floor of the parking garage she felt unease creeping up her spine the hair on the back of her neck standing up. Panic burned her throat like acid gnawing its way through her body. She watched as Bucky continued to march forward, his eyes darting over to her before nodding slowly.

“I see them,” his words came out sharp. _Razor_ sharp.

“Guess they found me,” his demeanor instantly changed, she could feel the tension rolling off his body in waves as Bucky eyed the men, every murderous instinct erupting in his body. He mentally laughed at the irony that they were the reason he was the way he was and that would be why they end up dead in this parking garage today.

“I told you Doll, I won’t let them get hurt you again,” his eyes gleaming as he let his tongue come out to wet his dry lips. Bucky pushed her behind his hulking body taking three quick steps towards two of the men. She watched in awe as he attacked each movement cold and calculated as he easily deflected and disarmed the first two attackers. She sucked in a breath as he stalked towards the next man, the way a predator stalks its prey.

“No!” her voice echoed through the garage, his large frame twisting to look at her his eyes following hers towards the man with a gun. She could feel the prickling in her fingers, focusing on aiming it all at gun. Jerking her hand up she watched at the barrel of the gun was yanked upward, causing the glass of one of the lights above to rain down on them. Bucky’s boots crunched over the glass as he efficiently disarmed the man. Her eyes widened when she came face to face with another attacker a knife slicing through the air. Cat jumped back narrowly avoiding the blade, eyes glancing over towards Bucky, but instantly regretting it when the man slashes through the air again, the cool metal easily slicing through her jacket, biting into the tender skin.

“Fuck,” she grunted, the adrenaline pumping through her entire body as she dodged another swing of the knife, dropping her stance to swipe her leg out to connect with his, knocking it out from under him his body crashing to the floor with a loud thud. Cat scrambled to kick the knife from his hand, her foot coming back down to land on the man’s throat. Cat watched as Bucky was holding the other man in the air his hand clamped tightly around his throat the man’s legs dangling as he gasped and sputtered for air.

“Bucky,” she called out, but he didn’t move, “Bucky!” she gasped out, his head snapping to look at her, his eyes blank, “You got them, we’re okay,” she reassured offering him a gentle smile. He blinked a few times and Cat watched as he went from a deadly weapon back to the gentle man she met in the hotel room. watching as he blinked twice snapping out of whatever trance he had been in. He looked back at the man gasping for air in his hand tossing the man, as if weighed no more than rag doll, against the garage’s wall, crumpling to the floor like a bag of bricks. He marches over to her swiftly closing the distance between the two of them pulling open her car door for her. Bucky watches as she clambers inside quickly sinking into the leather, pulling her legs up to her chest as he slams the door shut.

“Thank you,” she offers, her head resting against the window.

“Anytime doll,” he offers her a small smile. She watched Bucky as he drove, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white, his jaw clenching and unclenching as the snow came down harder. She found it hard not to stare at the man who had rescued, _I mean you’re not blind_ she reminded herself taking in the profile of his sharp jawline. Bucky could feel her staring at him, wondering what was going through her head right now, but not sure how to ask.

“You okay?” his voice gruff, eyes never leaving the road.

“Mhm,” she hummed out, pulling her knees in a little tighter. Cat let the motion of the car lull her, letting her eyelids flutter shut. When she woke up, her chest was tight with worry before she gathered her senses as to where she was. Her heart pounding in her ears when she noticed Bucky was no longer in the driver’s seat. She frantically scanned the car, spotting him in the rear view mirror speaking to a man in a pilot’s uniform. She felt her heart rate relax, breathing becoming a little bit easier. Bucky walked back to the car rapping on the window lightly, Cat rolling it down.

“Pilot just told me we can’t take off tonight, Tony has a lodge right on the edge of the property. We can stay there,” Cat tried to swallow the anxiety she felt raising in her throat, Bucky sensing it immediately.

“It’s secure, I promise. Tony doesn’t mess around with security measures,” he examined her face, her green eyes wide as she worries her lip, her brows furrowed.

“Tony _swore_ to me the security at this place is top notch,”

“Okay,” she followed Bucky, hot on his heels as he yanked open the door turning the lights on. She watched him carefully, as he locked the door they came in from before doing a full sweep of every room in the house, checking windows and in closets before setting the alarm. Cat felt her anxiety settling down, Bucky dropping onto the couch next to her the couch sinking down because of his weight. She examined him again, watching as his whole body relaxed. Bucky could feel her staring again, turning his heads towards her, her face going red from being caught in the act turning away quickly. Bucky took a moment to take her in, round green eyes, the smattering of freckles on her nose, strands of her hair spilling from the bun she had it tied in. The curve of her lips, pillowy and pink, noticing the way her teeth sank into her bottom lip when she was nervous. Bucky knew there was no denying that she was gorgeous, thinking back to the way she took that man down earlier, her lithe body gracefully kicking his ass. It was her turn to catch him staring this time, he feels his face heating up quickly trying to change the subject.

“You hungry?” his eyes on the floor as she repositions herself on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her.

“Yea,” she pauses for a moment, trying to remember the last time she ate, “starving actually,” she admits.

“Okay, you can drop your bags off in one of the rooms, I’ll check the kitchen to see if there’s anything edible here,” she scurried up the stairs, quickly throwing my bag on the bed. The throbbing in my arm had subsided to nothing more than a dull ache, but she noticed the blood soaking the fabric around it. She lifted her arm trying to twist it so she could try to get a better look at it. Using her other hand she pressed her fingers around it, trying to figure out how bad it really was wincing slightly as she felt the raw skin around the wound

“Fuck,” she hisses, digging through her bag to see if she had any band-aids.

“Hey,” she jumps at the sound of his voice, whipping her head around to see him. His eyes with an almost laser like focus zero in on the blood soaking through her jacket. “You’re bleeding,” closing the gap between the two of them quickly.

“Yea, one of those goons caught a piece of me. It’s not a big deal,” she shrugs her shoulders, but he is already beside her, gently turning her arm so he could get a better look at the slash.

“We’ve got to clean this up,” she could tell by the determined look on his face that he wasn’t going to drop this.

“Okay,” she admonishes, holding her arm out to him. He chuckles lightly.

“Doll, you’ve got to take the jacket off,” her tongue flicks out over her dry lips, slowly peeling the jackets from her skin, shivering slightly as the cold air surrounded her.

Bucky went to the bathroom to get some band aids and a rag to clean her up with, when he came back to the room her jacket had been discarded onto the bed, her hair cascading down her back in waves. He makes it a point to make his steps loud enough to hear, not wanting to scare her again. She turns to look at him over her shoulder her hair following her. Bucky sucked in a breath when he saw her bare back, a macabre print of angry reds along with dulling purples and greys licking her pale skin. He could feel iron hot rage boiling in him, seeping into his veins. He ground his teeth down audibly, his eyes darken as he slowly lets his fingers gently graze her spine. Cat sank into the feeling of his calloused fingers on her back letting out a breath that she didn’t realize she had been holding.

“What happened?” his jaw clenched and unclenched.

“Uhm, my boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, he’s not even really that, it’s a long story,” she sighed, not sure where to begin.

“Was he one of the men-,” he stopped, unsure of how to continue.

“No, he was away on ‘business’,” her voice flat, lifting her arm for him so he could clean if off with a damp rag, hissing slightly at the contact.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Bucky asked slowly.

“Do I have too?” she asked slowly, watching as he gently wrapped the bandage around her arm, feeling her heart soften as his fingers moved nimbly as to not hurt her.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want too Hun, but it will make it easier to catch the guys who did this if you do,” her eyes widened slightly. It had been so long since she had a choice in anything, a say in her own life. He offered an encouraging smile, as he secured the bandage.

“Okay,” she agreed, “can we do it while we eat?”


	2. One in the Same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! I really appreciate any of you who read this or took the time to comment/kudos it! It really means a lot to to me as this was something I was just using to blow of some stress! I really do love writing this series and as long as anyone is interested I will keep updating it :)  
> Next chapter will be Cat meeting most of the Avengers, I'm really excited to develop her relationships with them too. Already have a few pairings (platonic) I'd like to play around with!

Forty-five minutes later and the scent of burning cheese filling the small kitchen the two of them were in, a puff of smoke popping out of the oven when Bucky opens it. He hears her laugh lightly, offering her an apologetic smile as he places the slightly charred pizza between the two of them.

“Sorry about that,” Cat waves the apology away, eagerly grabbing at the slice closest to her.

“All pizza is good pizza,” she takes a large bite, scrunching her nose in way that Bucky could only describe as adorable, giving him a thumbs up

“I swear, I’m usually a much better cook,” crunching down on the crust.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” for a second her eyes glimmered with a shadow of mischievousness giving Bucky a quick glimpse of what she was like in her past life.

“That’s a challenge I’d love to take, Doll,” Cat tried to ignore the whirr of the butterflies in her stomach when he called her that, taking another bite of her pizza to swallow down the urge to reach her hand out and touch the sharp cut of his jaw.

“The food where I was wasn’t the greatest,” she explained away trying to keep her voice casual, her mind flashing to all those nights of food deprivation.

“Can I ask?” she nods, taking another bite of pizza, “how did you end up there?”

“I- I was an idiot,” she sniffed, pulling her knees closer against her chest. He _needed_ her to not think like that, needed her to know that Hydra would get to you by whatever means possible.

“Doll, I’ve seen a lot of idiots in my life and trust me you’re not one of them” she huffed lightly biting down on her lip again.

“Long story short, I was happy. I lived a normal life with my parents who worked their 9-5 jobs, drove me to all my extracurriculars, carpool, potlucks. Junior year of high school, I started to run with a slightly more unsavory crowd, met an older guy,” Bucky clenched onto the island, already not liking how this story was going. She sniffed again, rooting around to find the right words. “He was charming, so good looking, and I thought I loved him,” her eyes were focused on the granite of the countertop, unmoving. He reached out to let his thumb caress her hand lightly, her eyes meeting his.

“Then my parents. The accident.” her voice raw, her lashes dipping to brush wetly against her cheek. “I didn’t know where to go, I couldn’t go back to my house. Not after-,” she stops, hesitating slightly before she stumbles to get back on track, “he said I could stay with him. It was a trick.”

“Doll I’m so sorry,” Bucky breathes out, his thumb rubbing in idle circles on her hand. She flicks her tongue out over her lips taking another deep breath.

“I, I told them I wanted to leave but they said that they had been searching for me for years, they called me the fire bird. For years they ran tests, picked, and prodded at me, injections,” she took a shaky breath, “beatings. But it wasn’t enough, they-they were wrong. I wasn’t it, I wasn’t what they were looking for. Once they realized it, things god worse and then one of the men let it slip that Eric was done with me, that he told them they-,” her voice cracked, her body shivering at the thought of the man’s yellow teeth grinning predatorily at her, as he towered over her body. “He-he grabbed me, and I was so scared I couldn’t control it, I didn’t mean to but then it happened so fast and then I knew if they found his dead body they would kill me,” she started to ramble, her voice speeding up and her breathing becoming erratic.

“Hey, hey, this is not your fault. We do what we have too, to survive,”

“I didn’t mean too. I was just scared and it all just came out," 

Later that night after they abandoned the few scraps of scorched pieces of crust in the kitchen and migrated to the couch, Bucky lighting the fireplace to heat the place up. Bucky watched as she sighed contentedly a blanket wrapped lightly around her shoulders. The light from the fire spilling over her skin brandishing her. Her red hair blazing. Her eyelids drooping.

“How about we get you to bed?” she eyes narrowing to slits.

“You get to bed,” she muttered, Bucky’s face breaks into a laughing smile, crinkling around the eyes that had her heart _lurching._

“You had a long day,” her body betraying her by forcing a yawn, her eyes so heavy yet all she wanted to do was keep her eyes on this man.

“So did you, protecting me and all,” he could hear the sleepiness in her slurred words forcing her eyelids up again.

“It’s part of the job description job Doll,” she yawns again, “and I’d gladly do it again. I’ll protect you here and anywhere else, I promise,” she felt her stomach heave something filling inside of her that she wasn’t sure existed anymore. Something she had lost faith in so many years ago. But for some reason, she believed it.

“Fine,” she laments, watching as Bucky goes to put out the fire, his face haloed in the firelight. She trudged up the steps, Bucky’s hand grazing the small of her back on the way up. He made sure she was okay in the room, assuring her he was right next door if she needed _anything_ and not to hesitate to ask him. Cat tried to ignore the disappointment when he turned to leave his absence leaving her with a feeling of yearning. Pushing those thoughts down, _leave the poor man_ alone she hissed in her head as she collapsed onto the bed. Cat let hers mind wonder, how she ended up here. How here, in a house she’s never been too with a man she’s never met and yet somehow she’s felt safer than she’s ever had. She thought about the man who came to get her, Bucky Barnes, and as soon as she looked into his eyes she felt assured. She drifted to sleep with his voice echoing through her head, and the way he called her doll and how he swore that he would never let them hurt her again.

Bucky laid in bed going over her story, thinking about what she said about what she meant about not being able to go back to that house. He could tell she was holding something back, but then again why wouldn’t she. She had absolutely no reason to trust him, but here she was her room sharing a wall with his. He thought how brightly her eyes gleamed when she teased him, even if were only for a second. He felt his heart yearn wishing more than anything he could’ve seen her before Hydra got her. Before they tried to stomp out whatever she had left. A fist clenched in his gut a second after that thought crossed his mind knowing he didn’t deserve to see her like that.

Bucky woke up to the sounds of screaming, his stomach plummeted cursing as he jumped out of bed. It took him less than 30 seconds to get there but the whole time his voice was racing through his head, _you promised to protect her. You failed. You always fail_. Knife in hand he could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins his palms itching to crush whatever it was in her room. The lead in his stomach lessened when he saw nothing but an empty room, sitting up in the bed with her chest heaving. She was covered in a light sheen of sweat, hair sticking to her forehead.

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re safe,” he whispers, her eyes dart to him flashing something feral when she spots him, and suddenly his body is slamming the wall behind him.

“Fuck,” he mutters his breath, Cat gasping at the sight of Bucky’s body strewn across her floor.

“Oh fuck. Fuck, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to I just can’t control it sometimes,” she cries scrambling out of bed to rush over to him, he rubs his head groaning lightly as he stands up.

“No, no, it’s okay, I spooked you. Nightmares?” she nods slowly, eyes stopping on the gleaming silver that was attached to his shoulder. Bucky felt his face reddening, remembering he had rushed in straight from bed. Chest bare. She reached out slowly her fingers trembling slightly.

“What happened?” her voice barely a whisper, he took a step forward allowing her fingertips to brush against the seam of where he went from human to monster, it was his turn to let out a breath as her fingers delicately traced the seam.

“Hydra,” he said slowly, watching a wave of realization washed over her. _He knew too well what they were capable of_ she thought. Cat’s body let out an involuntary shudder at the mention of them, Bucky continued “they used me, forced me to do things I never wanted to do, I was known as the Winter Solider,” her fingers still tracing his skin, feeling the rattle in his chest as he takes a deep breath. She wets her lips, tugging gently on them with her teeth.

“I know who you are,” she admits, remembers how they would talk about replicating him. His eyes shone brightly with shame, jerking away from her touch.

“So you know what I am,” she shakes her head, stepping closer to him to lightly touch his face feeling, the scratch of his stubble under her fingertips. Heat burning through her body, wanting nothing more than to place her lips on the ridge of skin and metal. She was taken aback by the desire that ran through her core, hitting her like a thunderbolt.

“No, I know what they tried to make you” her eyes wide with sincerity, not a murmur of fear or deception in her answer.

“I’ve killed people,” he whispered, his blue eyes clouded, she could see the storm bellowing in his mind.

“So have I,” she whispered back, “We do what we have too, to survive,” his eyebrows raise eyes narrowed as he scans her face, opening his mouth as to say something but clamping it shut again.

“C’mon, let’s get you back in bed, we’ve got an early flight in the morning,” she nods, crawling back into the bed, sitting up against the wall yanking the blankets to drape over her shoulders. He turns on his heels to walk out, hesitating at the door stopping completely when he heard a small whine.

“Wait, can you maybe sit with me for a little bit, watch some tv maybe? Just until I fall asleep, or calm down,” she squeaked out, his eyes widening, so she quickly backtracks, “never mind, sorry I don’t know why I even came over me,” but Bucky raised his hand up.

“I can if you want,” she nods quickly, shimming over to the side of the bed to make room for him. She tries to convince herself it’s because she’s in a new place. _Liar_ her voice echoed through her mind, but any feelings of guilt were thrown out the window when she felt his hard thigh pressed around her own, his body heat rolling off him in waves causing her to shiver slightly. The flipped through the channels in silence, before she settled on Scooby-Doo, something her and her dad would watch together.

“I used to have nightmares too ya know,” he whispered to her. She sunk a little deeper into the blanket cocoon she had formed.

“Nothing like reliving the hell we already went through,” she deadpans, his eyebrow quirked at her.

“I just dream of that room I was in, the chair they’d strap me into and well you know,” Bucky nods mind flashing to that same chair, the leather restraints, the rubber guard being shoved into your mouth before starting any treatments. “You don’t have to stay ya know, I know we just met,” she mumbled, her head lolling onto his shoulder.

“Actually doll, I’m quite comfortable,” Bucky smiles, enjoying the feeling of her small body pressed gently against his side, melded into him like she was made to be there. When he glances down at her again her lashes were brushed against her cheeks, breathing relaxed. He reached over, pushing her hair out other face letting it slip through his fingers like silk. And he’d be lying if he said that didn’t rub something _raw_ inside him. 

When Bucky wakes up, her face is pressed against his shoulder, her hair tickling his face. He takes a minute to appreciate how _normal_ this all feels, ignoring the slight tingling in his arm from the awkward position. He shifts so he’s able to lay her into the bed, she stirs slightly mumbling something incoherent, her face relaxing a moment later. He forces himself to get out of bed ignoring the nagging feeling of disappointment.

Cat wakes up to an empty bed, and she tries to ignore the sinking feeling in her heart. She thought back to last night, his broad chest, abs as if they were chiseled by the gods themselves and she found herself wondering what his skin would taste like. She pinched herself, _hard. Leave that poor man alone_ , _he’s just doing his job_. Just then there was a soft rap at the door, Bucky popping his head in.

“Hey doll, sorry I ran out this morning, but someone had to get the plane ready to go,” he winked at her offering a lopsided grin that did wicked things to her stomach. 

“Thanks, for everything, for last night, I don’t-,” Bucky raises his hand to stop her.

“Don’t mention it, it was really nice actually,” she felt the heat raising to her cheeks, spreading all the way to the roots of her hair, “anyway, get dressed we’re heading out.”


	3. The Team

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys, this chapter is really just kind of filler, I wanted to start being able to build the relationships with other team members even though it will be mostly her and Buck :) I tried my best with the training, plz be nice. I had planned for this to me bore slow burn but I'm getting kind of antsy to get them together so it might happen sooner than I originally expected. Thanks and enjoy :)

The two of them boarded the plane, her legs tucked under her as she bit into the bagel he offered her.

“So, tell me about these Avengers I’m about to meet?” she asks, cream cheese smeared on her cheek. He rubs his finger on his face to let her know laughing when she tries to lick it off. She watched as Bucky took a breath, brow furrowed.

“Okay, well I guess we can start with Tony, your typical rich genius playboy. Kind of a dick but he means well” he pauses for a minute, “most of the time,” he mutters, “he’s the one who sent me to get you,”

“So like the leader?” her eyes were wide excitement building.

“Kind of, Steve he’s really sort of the leader. I guess you can say they co-lead,” she nods, taking another bite of her bagel motioning him to continue.

“And Steve is?”

“Steve,” his lips pulled up into a smile, shaking his head slightly, “Steve Rogers, he’s one of the most stubborn, thick headed people I know. But he’s my absolute best friend. He’s the only one who ever believed in me, the one that stood with me through everything, Hydra, the Winter Soldier, all those terrible things I did. Even when it meant he might lose everything, he never wavered not even once,” she watched the shine in his eyes when he spoke about Steve and knew immediately that she was going to like Steve Rogers.

“I think I’ll like this Steve you talk about,” she says around her bagel, his smile radiant for a second.

“I think you will too,” he takes a sip of his coffee, “and then because every great duo needs an annoying third wheel, there’s Sam. Steve’s less attractive, worse in every possible way friend,” Cat laughed aloud, the glint of his joke shining in his eyes. She took another bite of her bagel, before pausing for a second.

“Are there any other girls?” she asked innocently, her voice small.

“Oh yea! There’s Wanda, I don’t know her too well and then there’s Nat,” the tender smile on his face when he says her names make’s Cat’s stomach go sour, “she’s a total badass, smart and can kick some serious ass. She’s really amazing, I think you two well get on alright,”

“Are you guys like an item?” Cat tries to mask any disappointment in her voice by feigning curiosity. Bucky chocked on his coffee for a second, his face going red.

“No, no, Nat is with Clint, who is one of the best bow shooters the world has ever seen, I just me and Nat are one in the same, we both understand what it’s like to have to do things you don’t really want too,”

“My dad used to say it’s not always about what you do, but why you did it,”

“Sounds like a smart guy,” he watches the sad smile spread on her face, her eyes never leaving the window.

“Yea, he was the best. My mom used to joke that she went through 8 hours of labor with me and somehow he was my favorite. He always knew exactly what to say, sometimes I wish I were more like that,” she admits. He reaches over letting his fingers graze hers offering her a small smile.

“I’ve never seen the snow from up here,” she says breathlessly, her breath fogging her window up.

“Do you like the snow?” he asked but she just shrugged, turning to look back towards him.

“Yea, but it’s different from up here, kind of like being in a snow globe,”

“A snow globe?”

“Yea, my dad bought me one when we moved from New York to Maine. Told me it would always remind me of home, maybe he was right,” she smiled at him, her eyes gleaming.

Tony called a meeting shortly after Bucky brought the girl home, she looked a little nervous, but he figured that was to be expected when a man shows up at your door in the middle of the night telling you that you had to come with you for her safety.

“Hi Ms. Summers, I’m Tony Stark and this is our home,” he motions towards the house behind him.

“Hi Mr. Stark, thanks for having me,” he smiles lightly at her.

“Sure thing kid, everyone’s waiting for you in the conference room, you can bring your stuff upstairs after. She nodded, eyes wide when she sees the group of people in the room, noting immediately how downright _attractive_ they all were. She gave everyone a small wave, Bucky’s hand falling onto the small of her back making her stomach do somersaults as he leads her to the two open chairs.

“Team, this is Catarina,”

“Cat,” she interjects, “my friends they call me Cat,” Tony nods, waving his hand before continuing.

“Okay, Cat Summers, she’ll be staying here for bit,” Tony waves to the team, “Team don’t be rude and embarrass me, introductions please?” he sighed, rolling his eyes even more when the cute boy with floppy brown hair and big brown eyes jumped in.

“I’m Peter Parker!” he took a breath before he began again “it’s really nice to meet you and-,”

“Okay kid take a breather,” Tony jabbed rolling his eyes dramatically, but all she could see was love in his eyes.

“Sorry Mr. Stark,” his face turning pink Cat glancing over to him to make eye contact before mouthing _Thank you_ to him. He gives her a crooked grin, one that she returns immediately.

“I’m Thor God of Thunder Lady Catarina, and this is my brother Loki God of Mischief,” the large blonde man says with a very distinctive accent watching as he hit the dark-haired man on his shoulder, the skinnier of the two wincing slightly.

“Nice to meet you darling,” the dark man called Loki purred. She felt her cheeks heating up ducking her head to avoid him from noticing, “and if I do say you are gorgeous,” Bucky clenched his jaw, eyeing the god that sat across from him.

“Thank you,” she said, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear her cheeks still glowing.

“Alright lover boy leave the girl alone, I’m Nat and this is Clint,” the red head gave her a smirk, the man beside her giving her an acknowledging nod before looking back over at Nat. The admiration in his eyes had her chest tightening, wondering if anyone if the world could ever look at her like that. After everything she’d done.

“I’m Wanda,” the younger girl chirped in, her hand intertwined with a robot man sort of thing?

“Wanda, hi,” she squeaked out, the excitement of just another girl around her age in the same vicinity as her bubbling over slightly.

“And this is Vision,” she motioned the robot man, his voice quite soothing when he spoke.

“Hello Miss Summers, I hope we can all become acquainted soon,”

“I’m Bruce Banner,” an older looking guy with dark hair chimed in, “I’m the local scientist,”

“I’m Sam,” Cat waved to the attractive man across from her biting down on her lip to keep her from laughing about what Bucky had said back on the plane.

“And I’m Steve Rogers,” she looked over to the devastatingly handsome man on the side of Bucky, green eyes that could make a girl weak in the knees and his blonde hair perfectly in place.

“You, I’ve heard about,” she jibed, a smile breaking out on the handsome man’s face.

“All good things I hope,”

“You know it Stevie,” Bucky joins in, winking at her his thigh brushing against hers.

“Well Cat this is the team, if you need anything holler, Wanda why don’t you show her her room, it’s the one to the left of yours,”

“Tony I can do that,” Bucky offered, Tony lifting his hand.

“No Barnes we need a briefing on the mission,” Bucky groaned internally, watching as Wanda and Cat left the room, Nat eyeing him with a strange look on her face.

“Miss Summers, oh and training is at 9:30 sharp tomorrow,” Tony motioned, she nodded grabbing her bag following the brunette girl out readjusting the strap on her shoulder.

“So it a requirement that everyone here is insanely hot?” Cat jokes, trying to break the ice slightly, Wanda letting out a laugh.

“Girl wait until you see them in action,” it was Cat’s turn to giggle.

Bucky turned his head slightly, watching the two girls leave. Cat’s nose scrunched up suddenly and then her laugh ringing through the living room like bells. He found himself wondering absentmindedly what she was laughing about, wishing it were him making her laugh.

“Earth to Barnes!” Tony yelled, Bucky shaking his head before turning to look at him.

“Sorry it’s been a long two days,” he lied, Nat smirking at him brows raised.

“Powers? Does she have any?”

“Oh yea, uhm not sure the word. She can move things, control the environment or the things around her,”

“Sounds like telekinesis,” Bruce murmured, jotting some notes down.

“Did she mention why Hydra wanted her?”

“Something about a fire bird, she said it wasn’t her though that they were wrong,”

“That doesn’t sound right,” Steve said slowly, “Hydra doesn’t make mistakes like that,”

“Yea, I’m not sure.” Bucky admitted, Tony nodding slowly.

“Okay, we’ll get a full scope of it tomorrow at training, we’ll have to test out a few pairings,” Tony mused, looking down at his watch, “Kid aren’t you supposed to be at your hot aunt’s for dinner?” Peter’s eyes widening as he rushes to his feet.

“Shit-,”

“Language!”

“Sorry! Thanks Mr. Stark see you all tomorrow!” he scrambles out, Tony shaking his head.

"He would lose his head if it wasn’t attached to his shoulders,” Sam snickered.

“Okay any other questions?” Loki hand’s shot up. Thor’s brow furrowed Tony obviously amused, motioning to Loki to continue.

“Are we allowed to hit on the new girl?” Bucky’s snaps the pen in his hand, Steve glancing over at him.

“How about you let the girl settle in before you start harassing her?” Steve’s voice serious, eyes never leaving Bucky’s clenched fist. Bucky rushed out of there as soon as Tony released them, Steve jogging to catch up to him, his eyebrows raised at him.

“What is it punk?” Bucky groaned.

“You like the new girl,” Steve said matter of factly, Bucky suddenly hating the fact that his best friend could read him so well.

“Shut up,”

“So you do!” Steve gasped acting as if he didn’t already know.

“I just met her! I don’t even know her,” Steve chuckled, patting his friend on the shoulder.

“What is it you used to say, sometimes you just know,” Bucky flashed back to pre-war, him and Stevie being two stupid kids from Brooklyn who would sneak onto rides in Coney Island. That Bucky Barnes was in love with a new girl every week, Stevie always pestering him with how he could fall in love so fast. _Sometimes you just know kid._ Bucky shook his head at the memory, realizing then he knew nothing about love, maybe he never would. The two of them walking up the steps, “how about we go talk to your new girl? I know you’re heading over there right now anyway,” Bucky glances over at him, sighing.

“She’s not my girl by the way,”

“Not yet,” Steve snips. Bucky and Steve can hear the girls giggling inside Cat’s room.

“She’s busy, let’s just go,”

“Come on, don’t be a wimp,” Bucky shakes his head, questioning when the wimpy kid he used to know started calling _him_ a wimp. Bucky lifted his arm, knocking lightly on the door, the giggling halting.

“Come in!” Cat yells, Steve pushing the door open, Cat and Wanda both sitting crossed leg on the bed in the middle of the room. Their faces flushed from the laughing, her eyes shining when she looked over at him and for a minute he forgot that she anything other than a normal 20 something year old girl, hanging out in her room with friends.

“Okay Cat, I’m gonna’ head back to my room, Vis is probably looking for me. See you tomorrow?”

“Yes I would really like that!” she beams, turning towards the boys smile still lingering on her face.

“What up?”

“Nothing just wanted to check in on you, see how you were doing. Brought my sidekick with me,” Bucky jokes, trying to ignore how beautiful she looks sitting there, laughter still lingering in her eyes. She pulled her knees up to her chest.

“From what I hear you’re more like his sidekick,” Steve laughs out loud, hand clapping down on Bucky’s shoulder.

“See Buck, I like this one already,”

“Hey Doll, that is definitely not how it is,” Bucky jibed, Cat’s laughing echoing through the room, and Bucky swore it was the more wonderful sound he’d ever heard. Steve excused himself a moment later when he heard Sam calling him downstairs to help him with something, much to Bucky’s relief.

“Wanna sit?” she patted the area on the bed next to her, his weight dipping the bed towards him and she finds herself wondering how much the vibranium arm weighs.

“How you feelin’ Doll?” his voice was soft.

“A little overwhelmed if I’m being honest, just a lot of new people,” she chuckled shakily.

“You’ll get used to it, to them. Trust me I know how overwhelming it is,” she’s tugging her lower lip between her teeth, “seems like you and Wanda were getting on pretty well though,”

“Yea, it’s nice being around another _girl,_ especially one that’s your age,” Cat admitted, “I felt almost normal for a minute,” Bucky knew what she meant, when he came here after _everything_ it was so hard to even imagine that you ever were a normal person but then you do something as simple as drinking a beer or watching a game on TV and you feel yourself slipping back into that person you were before.

“I know what you mean,” he admits, she jabs his side with her elbow.

“You were right by the way,” Bucky turned to look at her, his brow furrowed confusion clouding those baby blues of his, “you are the more attractive friend,” she winked at him. His face lit up with excitement.

“Told you!” he laughs, her face leaning in closer to his and he breathes her in, unsure if he’s ever smelt something so intoxicating. He moves towards her slowly, her breath tickling his face. A sharp knock on the door causing them to jump apart, Bucky scratching his neck awkwardly.

“Come in,” Cat yells, Nat pushing the door open, her eyebrow arching when she saw Bucky on the bed beside her.

“Hi,”

“Hey, Tony mentioned you might need clothes to train in,” Nat motions to the neatly folded spandex in her arms.

“Oh yea, I didn’t even think about that! Thanks,” Nat nodded, turning to leave, Bucky getting up to follow turning back to look at her.

“My rooms right next door, if you need anything or want to talk,” Cat nods, smiling at him.

“Duly noted. Thanks Buck,” he closes the door lightly.

“I think I could like it here Tuba,” she whispers to the stuffed monkey on her bed.

Cat woke up to a knocking at her door, jumping up from her bed wondering what time it was. Wanda popped her head in.

“Cat, we’ve got training in 10 minutes,” Cat’s eyes furrowed.

“Wait what? Wanda what time is it?”

“9:20, why?”

“Just wondering, wanna’ wait for me to change? I don’t want to get lost in this place,” Wanda smiled warmly at her, nodding. _I didn’t have nightmares last night._ She jumped up and down excitedly, squealing silently before pulling on the spandex pants Nat brought over, and the matching black sports bra, slipping her feet into her old Converse. Pulling her hair into a high ponytail, she met Wanda by her door.

“Nat’s clothes?” Wanda asked.

“Yep,” Cat answered wondering how she knew.

“I’m sure we’ll get you some. But you might want to keep those pants,”

“What?” she cocked her head.

“Well this might be too much but let me tell you that your ass looks fantastic in them,” Cat twisting her body to try and look.

“Does it really?”

“Yes, and since you’re the only single girl here I hope you know I fully intend to live through you,” Cat giggled, nudging her with her shoulder. The duo walked into the training room, Steve’s eyes widening when he sees her.

“Hey Wanda, Cat, you erm look good,” she watches as Bucky hits him in the back of the head, Steve ducking down.

“Hey!” Steve yelped, “I was just saying!” Cat giggled at the interaction, giving her a small glimpse into the lives they lived _befo_

“I know what you were saying,” Bucky glared over at him.

“Thanks Cap,” she shoots him a wink, Wanda eyes widening excitedly, Bucky brooding silently, something she found out what his MO last night from Wanda. Her exact words were that he was the resident _brooding, angst filled hottie._ Not that Cat was disagreeing on the last part. 

“Okay kids, that’s enough. Let’s get to training. Wanda you’re with Clint, Nat you’re with Thor. Bucky you and Sam,” Bucky groans, Sam laughing at the grimace on Bucky’s face, “Miss Summers, you’ll start with Cap. After we get an idea of your powers we’ll reassess.” Cat nodded. Everyone goes to their perspective rooms, Tony watching Cat and Steve. Tony staring at her shoes.

“You’re training in those?” Tony raised his eyebrows.

“Only ones I got Mr. Stark,” she admitted, rubbing the toe of her sneaker on the padded floor. 

“Ready?” Steve squints his eyes at her.

“I was born ready Cap,” she winks at him, taking a fighting stance. The two begin to spar, Steve throwing a quick combination of punches, Cat working to block each of them only a few of them actually connecting. She growls and decides this is her time to take the offensive, rushing in with a series of kicks and punches, knowing to use all her body weight when fighting someone so much larger than her, going for vulnerable areas. He manages to block all of them, except for one kidney shot.

“Not bad kid,” he negs, giving her a cocky smile as he backs away, pulling his shield off his back, tossing the shield at her. She can feel her power vibrating through her fingers, returning the cocky grin as she lifts her hand to stop the shield midair. Steve’s eyes widen as she flicks her wrist, the shield shooting back at him, hitting him right in the gut.

“Nice shot,” he grunts out. Tony’s voice filling the intercom.

“Gotta watch out for that Cap, Cat we’re gonna switch Steve out,” Tony says, Cat nodding as Steve clips his shield to his back. Cat watches as Loki strutted in, confidence rolling off him in waves.

“Hello Darling,” he whirred his voice smooth. He circled the room, Cat walking in tune with him. _Always have your eye on him_ she reminded herself of Wanda had said about the God of Mischief himself.

“You think it’s a good idea to send Loki in there with her?” Steve asked Tony when he came up the steps.

“Yea I actually think she’s going to give him a run for his money,” Steve quirked his brow at Tony.

“So Darling, ready to play?” she narrows her eyes at him, wiggling her fingers lightly, sending a bolt of power towards him. He dodges it quickly talking a few steps towards her.

“Gotta try a little harder Darling,” he moves quickly and easily, striking her, moving to strike again but a force grips his wrist yanking down hard causing him to flip onto his back.

“Like that?” she quirks her brow at him, circling him. He laughs, eyeing her slowly as he shoots a small force that hits her shoulder, him knocking her onto her back, climbing a top of her to pin her down. She wraps her legs around his middle, using her weight to flip them over, her forearm on his neck. Cat gets knocked on her ass by hard force. She raises her eyebrows, sitting up watching as she he manifests a sharp dagger from nothing casually strolling around her. _Hey there John Wick. No blades!_ Cat looks up at Tony, not afraid of the God in front of her. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Into knife play?" she growls, focusing on the feeling the leather handle of her dad’s knife she used to hold, the curve of the blade, the weight of it in her hand when he trained her with it, the small intricate carving that would press into her palm. Holding her hand out in a fury of blazing orange, a very similar blade appeared, “Kinky, I like it,” twirling the blade.

“Careful Darling,”

Bucky strode over to see Steve and Tony standing in the viewing station, after not being able to handle Sam anymore.

“Hey Stevie, what’re you doing up here? Got your ass kicked that fast?”

“Shut up jerk,” Tony shakes his head.

“Children, children please. I’m trying to watch what’s going on down there. It’s really getting interesting,” Bucky walked over to the glass, watching as Loki pinned her to the ground, her arms on either side of her head. His nostrils flared at the sight of Loki between her legs, holding her by her wrists.

“You put her in there with him!” he snarls eyes wild, glaring over at Steve, “and you let him?” he accused.

“Oh shut it Robocop, just watch,” Bucky turned his eyes back to the room below watching as Cat flipped them over, her thighs resting on both sides of him now. 

“Tony,”

“Buck if things get out of hand you know I’ll call it,” Steve reassures him, Tony rolling his eyes. Suddenly a green burst of energy hits her, she flies back with thud. Steve watches as his friend clenches and unclenches his hands, jaw tightened. Snarling when he sees the God manifest a dagger.

“Tony,” Steve says with a warning tone, Tony nodded quickly. Buzzing into the training room, yelling sharply.

“Hey there John Wick. No blades!” the three men in the viewing room watched as Cat glared up at them, before narrowing her eyes at Loki a Cheshire cat grin on her face, watching as she apparated a blade of her own, twirling it around.

“Well this just got interesting,”

Loki swung his dagger at her, watching as she leaned back to avoid being hit. Fiercely swinging her blade watching as Loki dodged it easily.

“Fuck,” she grunted, wiping her brow before Loki swung once, missed. He brings the dagger down again, smoothly slicing into her skin like butter.

“Tony,” Bucky hissed, his hand banging on the glass. Loki glanced up at the men, ignoring all of them.

“Had enough Darling?”

“I’ve had worse paper cuts,” she spits out. 

“Hey you two! That’s enough,” Cat ignored, swinging the blade again. _Left_ her brain screamed. Her grin growing when he dodged to the left, her swiping her leg to knock him down his blade clambering to the floor. She quickly grabbed it, twirling both knives in her hand.

“Too bad, better luck next time,” she watched as Loki stood up, shaking his head. Suddenly she was surrounded by multiple Loki’s, all in a circle around her.

“Easy Darling, you pick the wrong one and I’ve got you,” they all said. She stood there for a moment, trying to focus. Her fingers tapping at her sides, taking a few deep breathes.

“What is she doing?” Tony mused, cocking his head slightly.

Cat was still, the real Loki watching as she took another deep breath. _Focus lemon drop,_ she could hear her Dad’s voice echoing in her head, the memory of her shooting her first soccer goal vividly playing. How she _knew_ which way the goalie would go, she could sense it. She could _hear_ it. She focused all her energy on Loki, his energy, his whole aura. _Third one to your left, 7 o’clock._ She flung the knife, the visually manipulations of Loki vanishing the knife heading straight towards him. It stopped mid-air, inches from his face. It dropped to the ground with a clank. Loki’s eyes wide, a wide smile, clapping slowly.

“You my dear were magnificent,” Tony’s voice filling the intercom again. _I would have to agree Miss Summers._ She takes a bow jokingly but her focus never left Bucky, whose eyes were blazing. When she came up the steps, Bucky stalks over to Loki.

“What were you thinking?” he grits out, “you could’ve hurt her,”

“On the contrary, she had it very much under control,” Loki laughed, walking away from the group of them. Bucky moves to her side, examining the small slash on her arm.

“We should get this cleaned up,” she could tell by the tone in his voice that there was really no option, so she smiled at the rest of them, calling out to Loki on the way out.

“Hey Loki, thanks for not taking it easy on me,”

“Wouldn’t dream of it darling,” her and Bucky walked side by side up to the med bay, him hoisting her up as if she weighed nothing. He was examining her arm, running an alcohol wipe across her. She hisses slightly, the stinging hurting more than the actual cut.

“He should’ve known better,” he grumbles, a storm brewing in his eyes, “you could’ve been seriously hurt,”

“Buck, it’s just a scratch. No biggie,” she reassures him, but he just continues to grumble under his breath his frown deepening as he continues to wipe the dried blood from her arm. Cat reaches down to tilt his head up towards her, “Hey, I did pretty good in their right?” he watched her smile at him, teeth digging into her bottom lip with excitement. He felt his anger dissipate at the eager look in her eyes.

“Yea Doll, you were amazing,” her smile widened reaching all the way up to corner of her eyes. She marvels at how quickly his fingers move and she makes a conscious effort into _not_ thinking about his fingers in any of the places her body is craves. He secures the bandage on her arm,

“You’re getting pretty good at patching me up, might just have to keep you around,” she jokes, he glances up at biting hit tongue before he told her that he would love nothing more than to be kept around, instead offering her a crooked smile that had no right to make her feel the way she did.


	4. Movie Night

Later that night as Cat collapsed onto her bed stretching across it, feeling as if she went nine rounds with pro wrestler. In her case a _god._ There was a light knock on the door, groaning lightly as she sits up, deciding she is too sore to get up, so she pulls it open with her powers. In the door frame stood a gleeful Wanda, donning a pair of fluffy slippers, and a black pajama short set.

“Hey girly,” she chirps, strolling in easily. Cat pushes herself up, rubbing her neck lightly.

“Hey! What’s up?” popping the p harder than she had too, offering Wanda a smile.

“Oh nothing, Vis is working with Tony on something thought I’d come say hi,” her fingers toy with the hem of her shorts, her eyes darting between Cat and the floor.

“I love those pjs,” Cat compliments her, the fabric hanging to her body, looking softer than anything she currently had.

“Oh they’re so comfy, I have a few pairs! Do you want one?” Cat shook her head, brows furrowed.

“No, no I’m not gonna steal your pjs,” but Wanda was already gone rushing to her and grabbing the extra pairs. She quickly laid out a few pairs on the bed, her eyes shining as she showed Cat the other color options she had. Cat reached letting soft fabric run between her fingers.

“Pick one! That’s what friends do…right?” Cat looked up at Wanda, her eyes filled with uncertainty. Wanda could feel the doubt flood her mind nervous she might have rushed this whole friend thing. She hadn’t had a real friend, outside of Pietro, in a very long time-well actually never really. Wanda wraps her one arm around her body to grab her other arm, rubbing it awkwardly.

“Yea, it is exactly what friends do,” Cat’s eyes glowing as she reassures her, reaching out to grab the navy-blue short set before continuing, “you know what else friends do?” Wanda’s eyes widen excitedly thrilled at whatever this proposition would be.

“Movie marathon with popcorn?” Cat suggests, Wanda nodding eagerly.

“Oh my god! Yes! Put your pj’s on!” Wanda pushing her towards her bathroom, pajamas gathered in her arms. Cat dresses quickly, pulling on the soft cotton shorts and the button-down shirt, basking in the feeling of the soft fabric on her skin. _Definitely beats those old scratchy things back at the bunker_. Cat stepped out of the bathroom, giving Wanda a small twirl.

“They look great on you!” Wanda clapped, “you can keep those,”

Cat looks at herself in the full-length mirror in the corner of the room noting the way she seemed to be showing much more leg than Wanda. “Is it me or are these shorts shorter than yours?” Wanda turning to look back at her, shrugging.

“Yea but your legs are lot longer than mine,” Wanda grabbed her hand, “come on let’s go, we should have a few drinks if you drink!”

Cat laughs as she thinks back to her high school days, pre-Hydra, drinking in fields and parks wondering how they didn’t end up the victims on some late-night true crime special. She sighs loudly, “Okay twist my arm, I’ll drink,” listening as Wanda laughs. Wanda leads the way down the steps, Cat following closely behind.

Bucky can hear the footsteps on the stairs before he can see who it is, a pair of fuzzy slippers and a small burst of laughter revealing it be Wanda. Bucky was about to turn away when he saw the second pair of bare feet pad down the steps. His eyes widen, watching as Cat descends down the steps, taking in the length of her legs, _and man are they long_ he thought to himself before bringing his gaze up to meet hers. He swallows shallowly, her lips tugging up in the corner giving him a soft smile. His blue eyes darkening as they dart down again, taking in the curve of her body, the way the pajama’s hung in all the right places, the small peek of her protruding collar bones that he wanted nothing more than to lean in and taste. He consciously tries to ignore the curve of her ass in those shorts, failing miserably as she walks past them. Cat didn’t miss the way Bucky’s eyes hung on her legs and she silently thanked Wanda for the shorts.

“Hey girls what’s going on?” Steve asked, Bucky’s jaw clenching when he notices Steve’s eyes also on the curve of her ass, noting to slap him later.

Wanda turns to the boys, a childlike excitement evident on her face as she giddily announces. “Movie night!” The excitement in her voice had taken Bucky by surprise for some reason. He had never seen her like this, but there she was bouncing lightly with excitement.

He watches as Cat pops open the microwave. “We’re gonna make popcorn and have a few drinks,”

“Sounds fun,” Steve commented, watching as the two girls giggled in the kitchen.

Wanda turns back to look at them, smile wide on her face. “We can do it down here, if you guys want to join!”

“Yea but you need matching pjs to cop the invite,” Cat jokes, Wanda bursting out in laughter at the thought of the two super soldiers dressed in matching pajamas.

“I’m in, Buck?”

“Yea, could be cool,” Bucky made a valiant effort to sound nonchalant about the offer, not ready to give it away that he had been trying to find a way to stick around as soon as he saw Cat in those shorts.

“Okay, we’ll go change and I’ll snag some drinks from the bar,” Steve offered over the sound of the popping corn.

“Sounds like a plan!” Wanda chirps, pouring the buttery treat into two bowls. The two men go upstairs to put comfy clothes on, Cat and Wanda sitting crossed leg on the couch whispering frantically. 

“Okay, but did you see the way Barnes’ eyes were glued to you?” Cat felt her face flush, Wanda continuing, “I mean Steve was checking you out too, but the look on Bucky’s face. It was almost like it was _hot,_ ” she gushed, Cat shushing her.

“I know, he really is,” Cat pauses, eyes darting to the stairs, Wanda’s eyes gleaming.

“He really is what?” her mouth dropping into an O, “You think Bucky’s hot!” Wanda exclaims in a hushed tone, Cat shushing her again.

“No! I mean yes, he’s so hot but he’s also just super nice and I don’t know I feel safe around him” she admits, eyes downcast, embarrassed that she sounds like a lovesick child over a man she just met.

“Oh you like him,”

“I mean I just met him, it’s just something about him. You must think I’m crazy,” but Wanda just squeals excitedly.

“Oh my god, no! I fell in love with Vision after one conversation with him to be honest. And he’s a computer man.” Cat raises her eyebrow at her making a mental note to ask about how that actually works later, Wanda pressing on, “I mean you could hook up with any one here, I mean if it were me and I wasn’t with Vis it would be Steve because have you seen the man,” Cat nodded in agreement, “I mean I obviously wouldn’t because I love Vis, he’s my whole life but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the view. But Bucky Barnes, please go for it! And _PLEASE_ report back to me on it,” Cat erupted in giggles.

“No Steve is 100% gorgeous, but like I said it seems like a requirement here. I mean what about Loki?”

“Oh god yes! Something about the bad boy vibes. I guess that’s why you like Barnes.”

“Just radiates big dick energy,” Cat made a valiant effort to keep a straight face, breaking out into laughter only a moment later.

“And Bucky, you just _know_ he’s good in bed. He was apparently a very notorious lady’s man back in the day,” Wanda gushes, Cat thinking about that way he smirks at her, the heaviness of his gaze.

“I mean totally makes sense, he gorgeous,” Cat jibes, the two of them giggling again.

“What’re you two laughing at?” Steve asks as he places the beer on the coffee table, Bucky raising his eyebrows at the girls, making Cat’s stomach do flips.

Wanda jumps up from the seat beside Cat, waving the two men off. “Oh nothing, just some girl talk,” she slows her voice down, keeping things casual as she continues “Oh Bucky you can sit there!” flipping lights off shooting Cat a quick wink and thumbs up.

Bucky doesn’t complain, as he was trying to figure out the best way to sit beside her since he went up to change, plopping beside her offering her a lopsided grin. “Beer Doll?” holding out a bottle to her. When she nods he pops it open with his metal hand Cat biting her lip to keep her from moaning out loud. Never in her life did she thinking watching a man using his _metal_ arm as a bottle opener would turn her on, but here she is rubbing her thighs together like a cricket. Wanda announces that she wants to watch a scary movie the rest of the group conceded, so she turns It Chapter 1 on, before dropping into the seat beside Steve. Bucky glances down watching as Cat cozies herself up, pulling her knees her chest before placing the popcorn between the two of them. She places the lip of the bottle to her mouth, Bucky relishing in the way her lips wrap around it. He mentally reprimands himself his brain screaming that he should just let her be.

Halfway through the movie, the popcorn bowl forgotten Bucky biting down a groan as Cat popped her finger in her mouth sucking off the light sheen of butter on them. By the time first movie ended, Bucky had just decided to reach around the couch to causally place his arm around her. But then Cat is offering to put the second one on lifting herself from the couch to grab the remote, then asking everyone if they need anything else. She hands a beer to both Wanda and Steve, walking back to the table to put the remote down grabbing two more bottles.

“Thanks,” Bucky takes the beer from her extending hand before she reaches over to grab the empty popcorn bowls and place them on the table. Cat retires back to her seat only this time she is marginally closer and now he can smell her, a scent that is so uniquely her that it’s _intoxicating_.

Halfway through the second movie, Cat shifted again her body brushing against Bucky’s side. Wrapping her arms around her frame he notices the slight raises on her skin, Bucky glances over at Wanda and Steve who were passed out peacefully on the other side of the couch.

“Cold Doll?” he whispers, her eyes darting up at him and she chews on her lower lip.

“Just a bit,” she admits, her voice sheepish. He sits up, tugging his sweatshirt off which resulted in a stripe of his lower abdomen being bared to her, the rigid muscles doing wicked things to her body. She yanks the sweatshirt breathing in his scent.

“Better?” he asks, lips tilted up in a smirk.

“A little yea,” she pulled her knees up back up wrapping her arms around them, Bucky repositioning himself to put his arm around the back of the couch.

“C’mere,” he commands gently. The slightly commanding tone making igniting a fire in her stomach, quickly scrambling to his side so he can drape his arm over her shoulders. He pulls her in pressing her tightly to his side, her body shuddering against his heat, relaxing beside him. Bucky watched as she melted into his side, unsure of how she could fit so perfectly pressed against him like that.

“So much better,” she purred, her head resting on his chest. He looks down at her, face illuminated by the glow of the tv eyes focused on the movie playing before them darting to look at him.

“Is there something on my face?” she asked suddenly, her hand running over her lips to her cheek.

“No Doll,” he chuckles, “just taking in the view,” he flashes her a smile that gives her a glimpse of that notorious lady’s man of the 40’s Wanda had mentioned earlier.

“Sergeant Barnes if I didn’t know any better I’d say your using a line on me,” she gasps out, looking up at him through her lashes biting on her lip. He bites back a growl at her calling him that, trying to ignore the stirring in his stomach.

“And what if I am?” a flash of his white teeth, his tongue swiping over his lip blue eyes darkening.

“Depends on what your intentions are,” she grounds out, wondering what it would be like to have his tongue run across _her_ lips like that. He leans in closer, his mouth by her ear.

“Doll, my intentions are nothing but _pure_ ,” his voice dropping an octave, his hot breath on her neck. She lets out a shudder, tilting her face up towards his face, eyes hooded.

“Well if that’s the case,” she could feel his metal hand reach up to grasp her face lightly, his thumb stroking her cheek. He pulls her head up towards his, there foreheads touching. She can feel his breath on her face, eyes fluttering closed.

The door slams shut, the two of them jumping apart as if they had been burned Cat’s face blazing red.

“Hey guys! Oh I love this movie,” Sam laughs, Bucky glaring at him.

“Fucking Sam,” he mumbles under his breath, arm still around Cat as she offers him an disappointed smile. Sam plops on the couch between Wanda and Cat, Wanda slightly stirring from the commotion.

“These two couldn’t hang?” Cat laughs lightly, turning to face Sam back pressed into Bucky’s side.

“Back from a hot date?” Cat eyes the outfit Sam was wearing, noting the strong smell of cologne.

“Yea, it was a bust, she was more interested in the Avengers than me. Thought I could at least get laid, but she was insisting we should come back here and man if you think I’m bringing so obsessed fan back here you’re crazy,”

“I appreciate you not bringing a Stan back here,” Sam laughs at the reference, Bucky mumbling under his breath, annoyed.

“What’s his problem?” Sam motioned to Bucky as he leans in to grab a beer before relaxing into the couch, feet on the table.

“Nothing,” he grumbled thinking of all the ways he could get away with hurting Sam without disturbing the girl under his arm or his sleeping best friend.

“Always the cranky one of the group,” Sam quipped making Cat laugh out loud. The three of them settled down, eyes focusing on the movie again, Bucky thinking about how close her lips were to his. He pulled her in a little closer, her rolling over to her side letting her hand rest on his stomach her eyes fluttering closed. He let his fingers stroke her hair lightly, Sam eying him.

“Oh I see man, it’s like that,” Bucky glared at him.

“Like what?” Bucky whispered hissed, not wanting to disturb the sleeping girl at his side.

“Don’t like what me. You’ve got the new girl clutched onto you like a koala. I’ve never seen you let anyone get that close to you,” he yanked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing to Steve, “except for Steve,” he jokes, Bucky rolling his eyes.

“She was cold,” Sam’s eyes light up, eyebrows arching up high on his forehead.

“So you’re telling me next time I’m cold I can curl up in your lap?” Bucky’s glare intensifies.

“If you want to die,” he growls, eyes shooting down to Cat as she shifts in her sleep, “now shut up, there are people sleeping,” Sam laughs quietly, leaning back onto the couch.

Bucky woke up with his arm wrapped tightly against Cat’s middle, her ass pressed against him and it would’ve been amazing had Tony not been standing over them a smirk on his face.

“Hey Tin Man, think you can get the girl up to her room, or do you want me to do it?” Bucky pulled her in a little tighter.

“I’ve got it Stark,” Tony laughed shaking his head. Bucky looked over to see Vision lifting Wanda with ease, “you can take Cap up if you want,” Tony rolls his eyes.

“Sorry, think he’s your responsibility too, besides someone’s gotta clean up after you,” Tony says before grabbing the empty beer bottles. Bucky shifts slightly, trying to detangle their limbs without disturbing her. She stirred a bit as he slipped his arms under her legs and her neck, pulling her up against his chest. He walks over towards Steve, kicking his foot lightly.

“Come on Stevie, get up,” Steve groans, stretching out on the couch rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Fine,” he mutters, pulling himself up from the couch, noticing Tony clearing the bottles, “hey Stark, need any help?” Tony relents, Steve sticking behind to help clean up whatever was left on the table. Bucky carries her up the stairs, her eyes fluttering open.

“Buck?”

“You fell asleep, I’m bringing you up to your bed,” he explains lightly, her arms reaching up to wrap around his neck, eyes closing again.

“Can I stay with you?” she sticks her lower lip out, “you’re just so warm and comfy,” she mumbles tightening her grip around his neck.

“Of course sweet girl,” Bucky smiles down at her walking into his room. Bucky pulls the blankets down, depositing her onto the one side before climbing in himself. He leaves a generous between the two, wanting to respect her boundaries but immediately felt her shimmy closer to him.

“Is this okay?” she whispers, her breath tickling his face.

“You’re never gonna hear me complaining about a gorgeous girl wanting to be closer to me,”

“You think I’m pretty?” her voice small, and for a moment Bucky’s brain stopped working, unsure if she was being serious or not.

“Of course, have you seen yourself?” he asks incredulously.

“Sometimes it’s hard to see anything but a monster,” she admits, not sure why she thought she should have even said that, but Bucky doesn’t even blink. Just pulls her in closer, pressing his lips to the top of her head. His heart felt like it was being squeezed in his chest, knowing exactly what she meant.

“Doll, you’re the furthest thing from a monster,” he whispers against her hair.

“You too,” she mumbles, her voice hazy from sleep.

When Cat woke up she was painfully aware of Bucky’s hard dick pressed against her ass, not that she was complaining. She told herself she shouldn’t wiggle against him, that it would be taking advantage of his charitable sharing of his bed. But then she found herself thinking of his pillowy lips only millimeters away from hers and her body made the decision for her. Cat told herself she wouldn’t do it again, but she _needed_ more friction, wiggling again a little more boldly. She felt his arm tighten against her stomach.

“Stop moving,” he grumbled against her back his breath hot on her neck. His body like a furnace and she tried to convince herself that it was just his body heat that had her burning up. And it had _nothing_ to do with the hardness pressed against her backside. She gives out a small whine, shimming her body closer to him. Wanting nothing more than to cocoon herself in these blankets and his body for the rest of the day.

“Doll if you keep doing that,” he ruts his hips up against her, she lets out another little whine, “and making noises like that,” he uses his arm to pull her under him, his body hovering above her, his dick pressing into her hip, “I’m going to show you how pure my intentions were last night,” she readjusted slightly, so his hardness was now pressed directly against her core. Cat well aware that she was soaked through her underwear at this point

“I don’t think anything about this is pure,” she bites down on her lip as he leans down his nose running against her neck.

“You smell like me,” his voice primal and it shouldn’t make her core ache the way it is, but it does so she pushes her hips up against him, “Doll you’re killing me,” he mutters, his pupils blown. _Mr. Barnes, Mr. Rogers needs you in the conference room,_ Friday’s voice filled the room, Bucky rolling off her, collapsing onto his back.

“I can’t catch a fucking break can I?” he groans, Cat laughing lightly, reaching over to touch his face.

“Go, I’m supposed to meet with Tony anyway ,” Bucky pulls himself up from the bed, pulling on another hoodie, “and Bucky, you know what they say about waiting right? It makes the thing so much sweeter,” Cat winks at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All these interruptions!!!! I really love the idea of Wanda as a bff, feel like she was so underrated in the movies and I knew I wanted to make her v important to the O/C. Especially after finishing Wanda Vision, my girl deserves the whole entire world! Hope you guys like this chapter, I promise the kiss and... much more will be happening soon! <3


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